barnes



(No Model.)

C. 0. BARNES &'L. BARNES, Sr;

GAB GOUPLING.

Patented Mar. 9, 1886.

WWA/55555 @@Mm y Qf' /NVNTR IINirED Srnfrns MEM" Erica.

CHARLES O. BARNES AND LUCIEN BARNES, SR., OF SYRACUSE, Nv. Y.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,650, dated March 9. 1886. l

Application tiled November 27, 1885. Serial No.184,056. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may con-cern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES O. BiiRNEs and LUciEN BARNES, Sr., ofSyracuse, in the county ofOnondaga, in the State ofNew York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to the class of carcouplers in which a swinging head composed of a coupling arm or hook and asupplemental arm formed in one piece is pivoted on the draw-head to swing outward therefrom, and has the supplemental arm standing across the front of the draw -head when the swinging head is in its uncoupled position. A similar swinging head on the draw-head of an approaching car colliding with the aforesaid arm turns the two swinging heads, so as to cause the coupling-arms thereof to interlock with each other.

This invention consists, first, in an iinproved construction of the swinging head and its seat on the drawhead, whereby said swinging head is carried automatically into its open 0r uncoupled position. Said automatic action of the swinging head is very essential to this class of couplers, inasmuch as said swinging head must bein its open position in order to interlock with a similarswinging head on the draw-bar of an approaching car, and this can be effected without compelling a person to enter between the cars; and the invention consists, secondly, in the combination, with the swinging head, of a catch arranged compactly and safely in the draw-heads to automatically engage and retain the swinging head in its closed or coupled position, all as hereinafter more fully described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is an exterior view of that side ofthe draw-head at which the swinging head is pivoted. Fig. II is a horizontal section of said draw-head, taken on line :v m, Fig. I, and showing itin its coupled position. Fig. III is a side view of our invention with the side of the draw-head broken away to better illustrate the construction ofthe swinging head and the automatic catch. Fig. IV is a plan view with the top 5o of the draw-head broken away, showing the swinging head in its uncoupled position. Figs. Vaud VI are respectively inverted plan and back views of the catch detached, and

Fig. VII is an inverted plan View of theswinging head detached.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the draw-head, formed with the usual recess, R, in its front; and H denotes 6o the swinging head or pivoted coupling-jaw, composed ofthe coupling hook or arm d/ and supplemental arm (Least in one piece and pivoted on the draw-head to swing outward therefrom in the manner hereinafter explained.

This draw-head we form hollow, or with a cavity, c, extending nearly completely across the entire head and partly closed at the front by a wall, a, extending from one side part way across the front ofthe cavity, and leaving au 7o opening, b, for the passage of the arm d ofthe swinging head H,which is pivoted on the draw-v head at the side which has the opening b.

The pivot ofthe swinging head consists of a pin, e, passing vertically through the same at coupler proper, has a vertical play on its 8o pivot, and is held normally in an open or uncoupled position by gravity, in conjunction with a beveled face, f, on the under side of the arm d, and a' correspondingly-inclined bearing, gnou the draw-head, upon which bearing the arm d rides and thus lifts the swinging head' when in its closed or coupled position, as represented in Figs. I, II, and III of the drawings; and so soon as released from the catch, hereinafter described, said swing- 9o ing head descends and automatically swings out into its open or uncoupled position, as represented in Fig. IV of the drawings.

In order to compel the swinging head to swing out sufficiently to hold the couplingarm d out of the way of an approaching similar coupling-arm, we provide a second set of inclined bearings, h h', on the under side of the swinging head around the pivot thereof and on the adjacent portion ofthe drawhead.

Vithin the cavity c of the drawhead, back of the wall a, is pivoted a catch or latch, C, which reaches. with its free end beyond the end of the wall a and in the path of the arm (Z, so as to be encountered thereby when the swinging head H is thrown into its coupled position. In this operation the arm d throws the catch C out of the way and moves past it into the cavity c sufficiently to allow the catch to fall forward again and across the front of the end of the arm d, as illustrated in Fig. II

of the drawings, thereby retaining the swings.

ing head H in its coupled position. The catch C, resting against the wall a, is thereby amply supported to resist the strain transmitted to the catch by the coupled swinging head.

In order to hold the catch normally in position for retaining the swinging head in its aforesaid position, we provide the draw-head with an inclined bearing, t', on the bottom of the cavity c, and in position to be traversed b v the base of the catch C when swung on its pivot7 the gravity ot' the catch causing it to slide down on the bearing-and forward against the wall a.

To permit of uncoupling the cars without entering between them, we connect to the catch G a chain, l, and pass said chain out through a hole in the top of the draw-head and to an arm, m, ot' a shaft, a, which latter is extended across the end of the car, and is provided at opposite sides ofthe car with cranks by which to turn said shaft, this latter arrangement being common to other carcouplers, and being so simple and well understood that a special illustration thereotl is deemed unnecessary. The draft on the chain Zhas a tendency to lift the catch C froniits inclined bearing z without turning the catch; and to prevent this we provide the draw-head with a second inclined bearing, o, which projects froin the top plate ofthe draw-head downward and across the top of the catch, the inclination being such as to crowd the catch C back when drawn up against said bearing by the chain Z.

The operation of our improved car-coupler is as follows: For coupling the cars the swinging head H of at least one ofthe cars is to be released from the catch C to allow said head to swing out into the posit-ion shown in Fie.

\ 1V of the drawings. This causes the arm d to stand across the front of the recess R of the draw-head,as shown in Fig. lV ofthe drawings. In the collision of the draw-heads of the two cars the arm d, which stands across the front of the draw-head, is first encountered by the swinging head ot' the other draw-head, and is swung back into the cavity c and retained by the catch C. In swinging into said position the two arms d d of the swinging heads of the two cars become interlocked with each other, as illustrated in Fig. Il of the drawings,

and in this condition they are retained by the catch C. Vhen it is desired to uncouple the cars, the shaft n is to be turned to cause the arm ne thereof to lift the catch C by means of the chain Z, and in lifting the catch it is crowded back by the inclined bearing 0, so as to release the arm d of the swinging head, which latter is then automatically swung out into its open or uncoupled position by the gravity of the swinging head and its inclined bearings f, g, and h 7L thereof.

Ve are aware that there are now in existence a class of car-couplers in which a latch is pivoted on a rigid draw-head, to engage a suitable hook or catch formed on a similar rigid draw-head of an approaching car, and such latch is made to ride on an inclined or cam-shaped bearing. by which the latch is caused to automatically swing into its closed position for retaining the draw-heads coupled together. Our invention diiiers materially from such a car-coupler in that we employ the inclined or camshaped bearings in combination with a swinging head for automatically throwing the same into its open or uncoupled position.

Ve are also aware that prior to our present invention ear-couplers with pivoted couplingjaws or swinging coupling-heads have been provided with a longitudinal sliding thrustbar riding on inclined planes,which automatically carry said bar into engagement with the heel or tail of the couplingjaw to retain the samein its coupled position;v but such carcouplers lack the automatic swinging ofthe coupling jaw or head into its open .or uncoupled position, which is effected by our improved coupler. Furthermore, said prior carcoupler necessitates the longitudinal channeling of the draw-bar for the reception ot' the thrustbar, and such channeling has atendency to weaken the draw-bar.

In our improved car-coupler the catch or latch which retains the pivoted couplingjaw or swinging head in its coupled position is arranged con'lpactly in the draw-head and the draw-bar is maintained intact.

Having described our invention7 what we claim is* 1. The combination of the draw/head provided with the inclined bearing g, and the swinging head composed of the coupling-arm d' and supplemental arm d, and pivoted on the draw-head to swing outward therefrom, and having the arm d formed at its underside with the beveled bearing f, substantially as described and shown, for thepurposc set forth.

y 2. The combination of the draw-head provided with the inclined bearings g and L, and

IOO

IIO

the swinging head H composed of the coupling-arm d and supplemental arm cl, and pivoted on the draw-head to swing outward therefrom7 and formed with correspondinginclined bearings, f and 71., substantially in the manner specified and shown, `for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the draw-head prov 4 bearings i o, respectively on the bottom and vided with the cavity c and opening I), the l In testimony whereof we have hereunto swinging head H, composed of the couplingsigned our names and aftxed our seals, in the arm d and supplemental arm d, and pivoted presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syraon the draw-head to swing outward therefrom, cuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State I5 5 and having the arm d entering the opening b. of`NcwYork, this 7th day of November, 1885. the catch C, pivoted in the cavity c, inclined CHARLFS O BARNES [L s] LUGIEN BARNES, SR. [L s] top of the cavity, and the chain Z, connected to the catch and passing out from the top of Witnesses: ro the cavity c, substantially as described and FREDERICK H. GIBBs,

shown, for the purpose set forth. Y- l C. BENDIXON. 

